Introducing BlogElul 5779

A little over a week ago, the Hebrew month of Elul began and with it my observance of a very particular set of traditions which is emblematic of the work we do here on Technically Religious.

On the one hand is the ancient orthodox Jewish observance of “selichot” (literally “Sorries”) – prayers said early in the morning as a way of awakening our souls and strive to create a closer connection to God in preparation for the imminent moment of Rosh Hashana.

On the other is the very modern, very technical observance of “#BlogElul”, a month-long writing exercise started in 2010 by @ImaBima which has hundreds (if not thousands) of participants each year.

Like many people’s religious experiences, my personal observance (of both selichot and #BlogElul) has changed over the years. Some years I do more writing, some less, some not at all. Some years I get to shul daily, while other years I cannot muster the discipline to escape the warm comfort of my bed.

This year has it’s own particular rhythm, which I’m going to write about in the coming days and weeks. But for now, I simply wanted to let everyone know that the work of introspection, self-reflection, and repentance has begun, and you’re going to see posts about it from now until the end of Elul, which this year coincides with the end of September. I hope you’ll enjoy what I have to share, and even share some of your own thoughts in the comments.